The 101 Network

Good news for all you fans of 'The Wire.' You can direct your non-fan friends to the 101 Network on DirecTV starting on July 18th to have them view the high-definition, uncut and unedited episodes of the program. Of course, that means your friends will actually have to subscribe to DirecTV. Otherwise, you'll just have to get their hands on the DVDs.

Shows like 'The Wire' are best appreciated when they're unedited. Take 'The Sopranos' for example. It's difficult to watch that program in edited format on a basic cable channel. I recall a comedy sketch which parodied this concept in which the edited-for-television episodes of 'The Sopranos' were each three minutes long. While that's an exaggeration for comedic effect, it does emphasize a point. When a show with adult themes like 'The Wire' is edited for content, it loses something in the translation.

Fortunately, DirecTV subscribers have nothing to worry about. They get to enjoy it as it was intended to be.